Mining machine of front kerf cutting type



April 28, 1953 w. o. FIEL'DING MINING MACHINE OF FRONT KERF CUTTING TYPE3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. is. 1949 April 28, 1953 w. 0. FIELDINGMINING MACHINE OF FRONT KERF CUTTING TYPE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct.13. 1949 &

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W O FIELDING MINING MACHINE OF FRONT KERF CUTTING TYPE -15 Sheets-Sheet3 April 28, 1953 Flled 0C; 13, 1949 Patented Apr. 28, 1953 MININGMACHINE OF FRONT KERF CUTTING TYPE William 0. Fielding, Logan, W. Va.,assignor to Merrill Coal Company, Henlawson, W. Va., a corporation ofWest Virginia Application October 13, 1949, Serial No. 121,110

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a mining machine and while it is particularlyadapted for use in mining coal, it will be understood that it is notrestricted to this use.

At the present time, it is customary to mine coal by cutting the coalloose with a coal cutting machine, then drilling holes in the coal andfilling the holes with powder or dynamite to blast the coal and cause itto drop down upon the floor of the mine, and then loading the coal intocars or onto a conveyor with a loading machine. This has been foundexpensive as separate machines and crews of men to operate them arenecessary and it is, therefore, one object of the invention to provide asingle machine which serves to cut the coal, detach it from the vein,and remove it from the floor of the mine by a conveyor constituting anelement of the machine. It will thus be seen that the entire operationof removing the coal from the vein and conveying it away is done by onemachine which is progressively moved forwardly towards the breast of themine as the coal is mined.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mining machine which hasa cutting chain for forming a horizontally extending cut or kerf acrossa vein of coal and also has upper and lower sets of wedges which loosencoal above and below the cut, the loosened coal above the out droppingthrough the frame of the cutting chain onto a conveyor which carries thecoal away and the forward motion of the machine causing coal loosened bythe lower wedges to be moved rearwardly over the head to the conveyorwhich carries the coal to the disposal point.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mining machine havingcutting chains disposed.

forwardly of the upper and lower wedges so that coal above and below thecut may be very easily wedged loose.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mining machine of thistype wherein the wedges are arranged in upper and lower batteries, thewedges of each battery being disposed in side by side relation to eachother and thus provide wedges disposed in horizontal lines across thefront end of the machine and co-operating with each other in such mannerthat the coal will be quickly wedged loose.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mining machine havingits batteries of upper and lower wedges so mounted that they may beshifted vertically to adjusted positions and thus accommodated to thethickness of the seam of coal which is being mined,

Another object of the invention is to provide a mining machine which isvery compact and the vertical measurements of which are such that samemay be readily utilized in mines having corridors or rooms of a low orminimum height.

Still another object resides in providing a mining machine which iscomparatively simple in construction and unlikely to be renderedinoperative under normal use.

With these and numerous other objects inview, my invention consists inthe novel features of construction, combination and arrangement ofparts, as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointedout in the specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application Figure 1is a top plan view of the improved mining machine; t

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a view upon an enlarged scale showing the forward portion ofthe improved mining machine partially in top plan and partially inlongitudinally extending transverse section; and

Figure l is an enlarged view showing the forward portion of the miningmachine partially in side elevation and partially in longitudinallyextending vertical section.

In describing the invention, I shall refer to the drawings, in whichsimilar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views and in which the numeral I designates in general thebody of the mining machine. This body has not been illustrated in detailbut is hollow in order to house a suitable source of power, such as anelectric motor (not shown) and is provided at opposite sides withtraction means, each of which includes anendless tread 2 trained aboutfront and rear rollers 15 and 4. A transversely extending partition 5forms a rear wall of a chamber 6 extending across the front end of thebody and into side portions of this chamber extend shafts I whichprotrude forwardly from synchronized motors 8 mounted in the body. Gears9 are mounted upon front ends of the shafts I.

A hollow platform or housing I!) projects forwardly from the front endof the body and has its rear portion of reduced width to form a neck H,and since this neck is of less width than the body and the forwardportion of the platform, it defines recesses l2 at opposite sides of theneck to accommodate the front rollers 3 and the forward portions of theendless treads 2. At opposite sides of its front end, the platform isformed with recesses or pockets l3 and midway its width, the front endof the platform is formed with a recess I l, having a bottom or wallextending forwardly at a downward incline, and into which fits the frontend of a conveyor is.

The conveyor has been illustrated as a trough and provided with arearwardly projecting extension !6 which rests upon a support ll at therear end of the main conveyor trough and is pivotally mounted by a pinIt so that it may be swung transversely to adjusted positions. It willbe understood that other types of conveyors, such as an endless beltconveyor, or the like, may be substituted in place of the specificconveyor illustrated.

At the front end of the platform is a sawcarrying frame is and upper andlower casings 2t and 2! which carry the upper and lower wedges 22 and23, and upon referring to Figures land 3, it will be seen that thesewedges are arranged side by side in'batteries extending transverselyacross the front ends of the casings.

The saw frame 9 is formed of channeled metal and is substantiallyU-shapedbut has a straight bridge at its front and rearwardly extendingarms which converge rearwardly and have their rear end portions mountedupon opposite side portions of the front end of the platform ill. Theupper and lower'ilanges of the frame it are directed outwardly and forma track in which is mounted the saw M. Referring to Figures 3 and 4, itwill be seen that this saw is a flexible endless saw of the chain typeand consists of a plurality of links 25- which are pivotallyconnectedwith each other and carry spurs or teeth 26. Certain of the teethproject from the chain at an upward incline and others at a downwardangle, and between these inclined teeth are teeth which project from thechain at right angles thereto. By so disposing the teeth, a relativelywide groove or kerf will be formed horizontally across a vein of coaland since the width of the kerf is greater than the thickness of theframe, it will be possible for the frame to enter the kerf and out-avery deep kerf in the coal during operation of the machine. The inner orrear: end portion of the chain-saw is trained about sprocket wheels 21-which are: disposed vertically in the hollow platform and rotatablymounted with their upper portions projecting upwardly therefrom andcarrying the sprocket wheels at their upper ends.

Beveled gears 29 of large diameter are mounted about lower end portionsof the shafts 28 and with these large gears mesh small beveled gears 30carried by shafts 3i. These shafts extend longitudinally in oppositeside portions of the hollow platform and are rotatably mounted throughbearings 32 with their rear ends projecting into the chamber 6 of thebody I and carrying pinions 33 which mesh with the pinions B so thatrotary motion will be transmitted from the shafts of the motors 8 to thetransmission shafts 3i and from these shafts to the drive shafts 28 andthus cause the saw to have movement along the bridge of the saw frametowards the left side of the saw frame and its teeth out a transverselyextending groove or kerf in thecoal.

The wedgebatteries 22 and 23v are of. duplicate formation and each hasawedge 31! which is detachably mounted at the front end of a plunger 35so that it may be removed for sharpening or replacement when necessary.The plungers pass through thefront walls of the casings 29 and 2.! andare slidably mounted through bearings 36 near front ends of the casings.Rear ends of the plungers are provided with offset shanks 3T slidablymounted through bearings 38 and about the plungers are collars 39 whichare engaged by helical springs 40 having their front ends abutting thebearings 36. These springs urge the plungers rearwardly but allow themto be driven forwardly so that the wedges will have striking contactwith a vein of coal in vertical spaced relation to the cut or kerf cutby the chain saw. The fact that the saw frame is U-shaped, and,therefore, of an open formation, allows coal detached by the upper picksto drop downwardly through the saw frame. Since the casings have slopingwall portions 4|, coal may move rearwardly along this sloping wall ofthe lower casing and onto. the conveyor during forward movement of themining machine.

Rear ends of the shanks 3i bear against cams 42 consisting of circulardiscs mounted eccentrically upon rotatably mounted shafts 43 which arehoused in the casings and extend transversely of their rear endportions. The cams project from the shafts radially thereof in differentdirections about their circumferences and during rotation of the shafts,the Wedges will be successively and in predetermined order drivenforwardly into wedging engagement with the coal being mined. Near theirends, thev shafts 43 carry sprocket Wheels 44 about which are engagedsprocket chains 45 which extend rearwardly from these sprocket wheelsand longitudinally through the arms 86 of the upper casings and the arms4! of the lower casing.

The arms 47 are longer than the arms 56 and have their rear endstiltably mounted about shafts 48 which are disposed transversely of theplatform at opposite sides thereof and rotatably mounted with theirinner end portions extending into the platform and carrying beveledgears 49 which mesh with the large beveled gears 29. Sprocket wheels 50'and Eli are carried by the shafts 48 within the arms 4'! and about thesesprocket wheels are trained rear portions of the sprocket chains 45.Therefore, rotary motion will be transmitted from the shafts 48 to theshaft 43 and as. this shaft 43 turns, its cams will impart forwardmovement to the wedges 23 and they will have wedging engagement with thecoal and wedge the portion of the coal below the kerf so that it will beloosened from the vein.

The arms or legs 46 of the upper casing extend rearwardly over the armsor legs of the lower casing and through their rear end portions arerotatably mounted shafts 52 carrying sprocket wheels 53 about which aretrained the sprocket chains (45 of the upper shaft 43 so that rotarymotion may be transmitted to this shaft and the upper wedges operated.The. shafts 52 also carry sprocket wheels 54 about which engage sprocketchains 55. These sprocket chains extend downwardly through legs 56 andhave their lower portions trained about the sprocket wheels 5i and theshafts 48 will, therefore, serve as drive shafts for the cam-carryingshaft of the upper casing as well as serving as drive shafts for the camcarrying shaft of the lower casing and both the upper and lower wedgeswill be powered from these shafts 48.

The upper and lower casings are to be shifted vertically to adjustedpositions in order that the upper and lower batteries of the wedges maybe supported in desired vertical spaced relation to each other and thuswedge the coal predeter casing are pivoted upon the shafts 48 and inorder that the lower casing may be shifted vertically to the adjustedpositions, there have been provided cylinders 5'! which are mountedvertically in the recesses or pockets !3 and have piston rods 58projecting downwardly from their lower ends and pivoted to ears 59 atinner sides of the arms 41. Upward and downward movement of pistons inthe cylinders will effect corresponding tilting of the arms and thelower casing and this casing will be moved to an adjusted position whereit will be held.

The upper casing is provided in spaced relation to its arms or legs 46with depending cars 60 which are pivoted to ears 6| at upper ends ofpistons in cylinders 62 which have their lower ends formed with ears 63which are in turn pivotally connected to upwardly projecting ears formedon the front end portion of the platform Id. The legs 56 carry earsfidprojecting rearwardly therefrom and to these ears are pivotallyconnected upper or outer ends of the pistons or plungers 65 which areslidable longitudinally in cylinders 66 having their lower or rear endspivoted to ears El projecting laterally from opposite sides of theplatform. When the pistons 65 are shifted longitudinally, the legs 56are tilted about the shafts 48 and the upper casing will be shiftedupwardly or downwardly and supported in the adjusted position. It willthus be seen that the upper and lower casings may both be shifted tovertically adjusted positions and the batteries of wedges will wedge thecoal in desired vertically spaced relation to the kerf formed by thechain saw and thus cause coal above and below the kerf to be wedgedloose.

When this mining machine is in operation, it is moved into position infront of a vein of coal and moved forwardly until the teeth of the chainsaw make contact with the coal. The upper and lower casings are thenadjusted until the batteries of wedges are disposed at desired distancesabove and below the chain saw. The motors 8 are then started and rotarymotion transmitted to the vertical shafts 28, thus causing longitudinalmotion to be imparted to the chain saw and also causing rotary motion tobe transmitted to the cam shafts 43 so that their cams will act upon theshanks 3? at rear ends of the plungers 35 and cause the plungers to besuccessively moved forwardly in opposition to action of the springs 46which hold the shanks in contact with the cam discs. As the chain sawmoves along the bridge or front end of the saw frame, its teeth out akerf horizontally across the coal and this kerf will be cut to a depthcorresponding to the distance between the wedges and the front end ofthe saw frame before the wedges make contact with the coal. As soon asthe wedges make contact with the coal, they serve to wedge the coalalong lines above and below the kerf and since they do notsimultaneously strike the coal, their wedging action will be in suchtimed relation to each other that the coal will be broken off in chunkswhich fall downwardly. Therefore, the coal above and below the kerf willbe quickly wedged loose in chunks of irregular size, but some of it willbe in the form of blocks of coal which are quite large. As the coal iscut and wedged from the vein, the machine is moved forwardly and thecoal which has been wedged loose enters the front end of the conveyortrough l5 and when the coal reaches the rear end of the conveyor trough,it will be discharged into cars,'trucks, or onto. a dump in case the conveyor is of suflicient length-to extend to a dump.

Since the body I has traction members 2, it can be readily moved fromone place to another for use. There has, therefore, been provided amining machine which cuts a kerf in a vein of coal, Wedges the coalloose in chunks or lumps which drop through the saw frame on to the head2| or wedges the coal up from below the kerf onto the head 2|. The loosecoal on the bottom is forced to the head 2| by forward motion of themachine. All coal from the head 2| is carried rearwardly by conveyor fordelivery from the mine, this being all done in one operation instead ofit being necessary to drill holes in a vein, charge the holes with anexplosive which is then fired to disintegrate the coal, and then shovelthe coal into cars or otherwise remove the lumps of coal from the floorand. transport it from the mine.

In order that the operator may be incomplete control of the machine atall times, it is contemplated that each cylinder 51, 62 and 66 be fluidconnected to a main fluid supply through the medium of a remote controlpanel (not shown).

From the foregoing description of the construction of my improved miningmachine, the assembly thereof and the operation of the same will bereadily understood, and it will be seen that I have provided acomparatively simple, reasonably inexpensive and efficient means forcarrying out the various objects of the invention.

While I have particularly described the elements best adapted to performthe functions set forth, it is apparent that various changes in form,proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to,without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the principlesof the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed is:

1. A mining machine comprising a vehicle having traction means, a frameprojecting forwardly from said vehicle, a saw carried by said frame andhaving a portion extending along the front of the frame transversely ofthe vehicle in position for cutting a kerf horizontally across a vein,upper and lower batteries of wedges disposed above and below the framein vertical spaced relation to the saw, the wedges of each battery beingdisposed horizontally and extending longitudinally of the frame and thevehicle in side by side relation to each other and individually movableforwardly and rearwardly, springs urging said wedges rearwardly, shaftsrotatably mounted horizontally transversely of the frame back of thebatteries of wedges and carrying cams arranged to successively impartforward motion to the wedges during rotation of the shafts, means forimparting sawing motion to said saw, and means for rotating said shaftsto operate the wedges during operation of the saw.

2. A mining machine comprising a vehicle having traction means, aplatform projecting forwardly from said vehicle, a horizontal frameprojecting forwardly from said platform and having a front end portionextending transversely of the platform, an endless flexible saw carriedby said frame and movable along side portions of the frame and acrossthe front end thereof in posi tion for forming a horizontal kerf in avein during movement of the saw, said saw having teeth projectingoutwardly from the frame, shafts rotatably mounted vertically in saidplatform in spaced relation to each other transversely of the platformand having upper portions projecting inwardly from the platform,sprocket wheels carried by upper portions of said shafts and engaged bythe flexible saw for imparting longitudinal movement thereto duringrotation of the shafts, casings above and below said frame supportedhorizontally and shiftable vertically to adjusted positions, wedgescarried by said casin s and projecting forwardly therefrom horizontallyand being slidably mounted for longitudinal reciproeating movement inthe casings, shafts rotatably mounted horizontally in rear portions ofsaid casings transversely thereof and carrying cams engaged by rear endsof the wedges, and means for transmitting rotary motion from thevertical shafts to the cam-carrying shafts.

3. A mining machine comprising a vehicle having traction means, aplatform projecting forwardly from said vehicle, a horizontal framehaving side portions projecting forwardly from said platform and havingahorizontal front end portion extending transversely of the platformforwardly thereof, an endless flexible saw carried by said frame andmovable alongside portions of the frame and across the front end thereofin position for forming a horizontal kerf in a vein during movement ofthe saw, said saw having teeth projecting outwardly from the frame,shafts rotatably mounted vertically in said latform in transverselyspaced relation to each other and having upper portions projectingupwardly from the platform, wheels carried by the projecting upperportions of said shafts and engaged by the flexible saw for impartinglongitudinal movement thereto during rotation of the shafts, horizontalcasings above and below said frame mounted for vertical movement toadjusted positions, wedges carried horizontally by said casings andprojecting forwardly therefrom and slidably mounted for longitudinalreciprocating movement through the cas ing, shafts rotatably mountedhorizontally in said casings transversely thereof and carrying camsturning with the shafts and engaged by rear ends of the wedges, countershafts rotatably mounted in said casings transversely thereof andprojecting from opposite sides of the casings, intermeshing gearscarried by the vertical shafts and said counter shafts for transmittingrotary motion from the vertical shafts to the counter shafts, and meansfor transmitting rotary motion from said counter shafts to thecam-carrying shafts.

4. A mining machine comprising a vehicle having traction means, aplatform projecting forwardly from said vehicle, a horizontal frameprojecting forwardly from said platform and having a horizontal frontend portion extending transversely of the platform, an endless flexiblesaw carried by said frame and movable along side portions of the frameand across the front end thereof in position for forming a horizontal.kerf in a vein during movement of the saw, said saw having teethprojecting outwardly from the frame, shafts rotatably mounted verticallyin said platform in transversely spaced relation to each other andhaving upper portions projecting upwardly from the platform adjacentrear ends of the side portions of the frame, wheels carried by theprojecting upper portions of said shafts and engaged by the flexible sawand constituting means for imparting longitudinal movement theretoduring rotation of the shafts, casing above and below said frame,horizontal wedges slidable longitudinally in said casings and projectingforwardly therefrom, shafts rotatably mounted horizontally in saidcasings transversely thereof back of said wedges and carrying camsturning with the shafts and engaged by rear ends of said Wedges andserving to impart longitudinal movements to the wedges during rotationof the cam-carrying shafts, arms extending rearwardly from oppositesides of said casings, shafts rotatably mounted horizontally throughsaid arms transversely thereof, means for transmitting rotary motionfrom the shafts of said arms to the cam-carrying shafts, and means fortransmitting rotary motion from the Vertical shafts to the shafts ofsaid arms.

5. A mining machine comprising a vehicle having traction means, aplatform projecting forwardly from said vehicle, a horizontal frameprojecting forwardly from said platform and having a horizontal frontend portion extending transversely of the platform, an endless flexiblesaw carried by said frame and movable along the sides of said frame andacross the'front end thereof in position for forming a horizontal kerfin a vein during movement of the saw, said saw having teeth projectingoutwardly from the frame, shafts rotatably mounted vertically in saidplatform in transversely spaced relation to each other and having upperportions projecting upwardly from the platform, wheels carried by theprojecting upper portions of said shafts and engaged by the flexible sawfor imparting longitudinal movement thereto during rotation of theshafts, casings above and below said frame, horizontal wedges slidablelongitudinally in said casand projecting forwardly therefrom, shaftsrotatably mounted horizontally in said casings transversely thereof backof said wedges and carrying cams engaged by rear ends of said wedges andserving to impart longitudinal movements to the wedges during rotationof the camcarrying shafts, horizontal arms extending rearwardly fromopposite sides of rear ends of said casings, shafts rotatably mountedhorizontally through said arms transversely thereof, sprocket wheelscarried by the cam-carrying shafts and the shafts of said arms, chainstrained about companion sprocket wheels for transmitting rotary motionfrom the shafts of the arms to the cam-carrying shafts, and means forshifting the casings vertically to adjusted positions.

6. A mining machine comprising a vehicle having traction means, ahorizontal platform projecting forwardly from said vehicle, a horizontalframe projectingforwardly from said platform and having a horizontalfront end portion extending transversely of the platform, an endlessfiexible saw carried by said frame and movable along opposite side edgesof the frame and across the front end thereof in position for forming ahorizontal kerf in a vein during movement of the saw. said saw havingteeth projecting out wardly from the frame, shafts rotatably mountedvertically in said platform in transversely spaced relation to eachother and having upper portions projecting upwardly from the platformback of said frame, wheels carried by the projecting upperportions ofsaid shafts and engaged by the flexible saw and constituting means forimparting longitudinal movement thereto during rotation of the shafts,casings above and below said frame, horizontal wedges slidablelongitudinally in said casings and projecting forwardly therefrom,shafts rotatably mounted horizontally in said casings transverselythereof back of said wedges and carrying cams engaged by rear ends ofsaid wedges and serving to impart longitudinal movements to the wedgesduring rotation of the cam-carrying shafts, arms extending rear- Wardlyfrom sides of said casings, horizontal shafts rotatably mounted throughsaid arms transversely thereof, the shafts carried by the arm of thelower casing having portions extending into said platform throughopposite sides thereof and connected with the vertical shafts by gearsfor rotation from the vertical shafts, sprocket wheels carried by thecam-carrying shafts and the shafts of the arms, chains trained aboutsaid sprocket Wheels for transmitting rotary motion to the cam-carryingshafts, legs extending between said casings and mounted about the shaftsof their arms, additional sprocket wheels carried by the shafts of saidarms, sprocket chains extending longitudinally 10 of said legs andtrained about the last mentioned sprocket wheels for transmitting rotarymotion from the shafts of the lower arms to the shafts of the upperarms, and members carried by said platform for shifting the casingsvertically and holding the casings in vertically adjusted positions.

WILLIAM 0. FIELDING.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,276,248 Morgan Aug. 20, 1918 1,315,271 Young Sept. 9, 19191,585,041 MacEachen May 18, 1926 1,762,154 Blair June 10, 1930

